Another year on and this October I am once again spreading awareness for the amazing work the charity Breast Cancer Care do, by wearing something PINK for every day of the month for Breast Cancer Awareness. BCC’s campaign this year is #ShareTheCare and all about ‘giving back’ so I took it upon myself to gather a bunch of fabulous women to join me in a mass group photo wearing nothing but PINK bras and jeans. Collectively we all have an amazing social reach of over 500, 000 followers on Instagram alone, so it felt right for us to give back, and help spread the importance of knowing your body and CHECKING YOUR BOOBS REGULARLY.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, one person is diagnosed every 10 minutes.

1 in 8 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month around 5,000 people will be diagnosed.

Some of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer include:

a change in size or shape

a lump or area that feels thicker than the rest of the breast

a change in skin texture such as puckering or dimpling (like the skin of an orange)

redness or rash on the skin and/or around the nipple

your nipple has become pulled in or looks different, for example changed its position or shape

liquid that comes from the nipple without squeezing

pain in your breast or your armpit that’s there all or almost all of the time

I discovered Mothers Meeting in the very early stages of my blogging, after a mum friend from school told me all about them. Run and founded by the powerhouse that is Jenny Scott, Mothers Meetings were going to be an integral part of my growth as a Blogger and Influencer.

Jenny set up MM when she was pregnant with her firstborn. She simply put out a post on Facebook asking if any fellow like-minded mum-to-be’s fancied meeting up. To her surprise, a couple of women turned up and it was from this the MM has grown into what it is today.

I became a mother at the ripe age of 26, young and the first of all of my friends to have a child. Luckily for me I had the large support network of my family, however so many new mums don’t have that luxury and can find that first pregnancy very scary and lonely. Let’s face it, motherhood is very lonely. It throws up so many emotions and challenges which can prove to be difficult adjusting to. Jenny wanted Mothers Meeting to be a safe place for mums to get together, become aquatinted, share experiences and more importantly have some common ground.

My very first MM I went to was about 4yrs ago and it was a workout in Equinox, a premium gym in Kensington. Jenny welcomed me instantly and although I felt anxious and out of my depth turning up to a workout session with a bunch of women I had never met before, knowing we were all mums eased me in seamlessly. Some knew each other already, but I didn’t find that intimidating at all. I remember meeting Heledd (@heleddlavender), Bonita (@mamasvib), Katrina (@coolbananasblog) and Adrienne (@adrienne_ldn) who had all kickstarted their blogs and were taking steps to develop their brands.

Ive been a part of the Mothers Meeting family for 4years now and I can hand on heart say that I owe everything to Jenny and the team. The incredible opportunities I’ve had over these last couple of years, the introductions to speakers, brands and businesses, the lasting friendships I’ve made, the steps out of my comfort zone which frankly are mahooooosive in themselves… thats all MM. The support, the love and the comfort I’ve gained during my journey as a mum to two and developing my blog and business to new levels….thats all MM.

As a mother herself, Jenny has invested her time and energy into Mothers Meeting like it was another child of hers! Her personal journey has by no means been easy- in fact it’s only made her more fierce and willing than ever to connect people. Having met and welcomed so many mums to her events, I’m still in awe that she always remembers everyone’s name! No matter your background, your life’s choices, your current situation, anyone can go along to a MM. If you’re looking to expand your network whether it be business or personal, these informal-take-your-baby-along get-togethers will have you leaving with a new found confidence. You don’t have to feel like you need to make friends. You don’t even have to have all your shit together. Just expect a warm welcome, a cuppa (or glass of fizz if you’re lucky) and an opportunity to get out the house and away from the remnants of the kids’ breakfast or mass laundry pile!

Mothers Meetings have played a huge part in where my life is today, and for that I am so very thankful.

I’ve not been asked to write this, nor has it come from any place other than admiration. Admiration for a woman who I think is amazing and in all honesty doesn’t get praised enough. Jenny’s just welcomed her new baby girl into the world and what better time to share the love than now. If anyone deserves happiness and success in every sense of the word then it’s her.